Romans 3:22

This exegetical study of The Grammatical and Theological Implications of ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ in Romans 3:22 is based on a b-greek discussion from Sun Oct 3 14:16:07 EDT 1999.

The initial query raised the perceived redundancy in Paul’s statement, “even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe,” in Romans 3:22. It questioned why the phrase δια πιστεως Ιησου Χριστου should not be interpreted as a subjective genitive, thereby rendering it “through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all those who believe,” rather than the traditionally understood objective genitive “through faith in Jesus Christ.” This alternative reading was proposed to alleviate the apparent redundancy with the subsequent phrase “for all those who believe.”

The central exegetical issue concerns the precise semantic function of the genitive phrase πιστεως Ιησου Χριστου (literally, “faith of Jesus Christ”) within its immediate context in Romans 3:22 and broader Pauline theology. The ambiguity inherent in a genitive construction, which can denote either the subject *performing* an action (subjective genitive) or the object *receiving* an action (objective genitive), leads to two distinct theological implications regarding the source and nature of justification. Furthermore, the discussion touches upon whether the Greek language offers unambiguous ways to express “faith in Christ,” and if the potential ambiguity in Romans 3:22 is intentional or grammatically negotiable, possibly pointing to a “plenary” or multifaceted genitive understanding.

Greek text (Nestle 1904):

Δικαιοσυνη δε θεου δια πιστεως Ιησου Χριστου εις παντας και επι παντας τους πιστευοντας.

• Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
• The SBLGNT (2010) omits the phrase και επι παντας found in the Nestle 1904 text.
• Nestle 1904: “…εις παντας και επι παντας τους πιστευοντας.”
• SBLGNT (2010): “…εις παντας τους πιστευοντας.”

Textual Criticism (NA28), Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG):

The textual variant concerning the phrase και επι παντας in Romans 3:22 is significant. Manuscript evidence shows a division: older and more critically weighted manuscripts such as P⁴⁶, Codex Vaticanus (B), and Codex Claromontanus (D^gr) omit και επι παντας, while later manuscripts including Codex Alexandrinus (A), Codex Sangallensis (G), and the Byzantine/Majority Text tradition retain it. The NA28 (and consequently SBLGNT) follows the shorter reading, reflecting a preference for the earliest and most geographically diverse witnesses. This omission simplifies the phrase to “for all those who believe,” which might strengthen the direct link between **πιστις** and the *believers* themselves, potentially supporting an objective genitive reading.

• δικαιοσυνη (dikaiosynē): (BDAG, s.v. δικαιοσύνη) Primarily, “the quality or state of rectitude, righteousness.” In Pauline theology, it often signifies both God’s attribute of justice and the status of being declared righteous by God, which is a gift of salvation. It represents God’s saving activity and the standing humans receive before Him.
• πιστις (pistis): (BDAG, s.v. πίστις) The noun carries a range of meanings including “faith, belief, trust, confidence.” It can denote the act of believing or entrusting oneself to something/someone, or the characteristic of trustworthiness, faithfulness. The ambiguity of the genitive form of this noun is at the heart of the exegetical debate, allowing for interpretation as either faith *directed toward* Christ (objective) or the faithfulness *belonging to* Christ (subjective).
• Ιησου Χριστου (Iēsou Christou): The genitive form of “Jesus Christ.” Grammatically, it modifies **πιστεως**, but its precise relationship to **πιστις** is the point of contention.
• δια (dia): (BDAG, s.v. διά) When followed by the genitive case, as here, it functions prepositionally to indicate the “means by which” or “through whom” something occurs. Thus, God’s righteousness is revealed *through* the **πιστις** of Jesus Christ.

Translation Variants

The phrase δια πιστεως Ιησου Χριστου presents a classic grammatical and theological dilemma due to the inherent ambiguity of the genitive case. Two primary interpretations dominate, with a third synthetic option emerging from scholarly discussion.

1. Objective Genitive: “through faith in Jesus Christ”

This is the traditional and most widely accepted interpretation. Grammatically, **Ιησου Χριστου** functions as the object of the faith, meaning that human faith is directed *towards* Jesus Christ. The rhetorical effect is to highlight human response and trust as the instrumental means by which God’s righteousness is received. This interpretation finds strong support in the immediate context of Romans 3:22, particularly the concluding phrase **εις παντας τους πιστευοντας** (“for all who believe”), which clearly refers to the recipients’ act of believing. If **πιστεως** referred to Christ’s faithfulness, the subsequent qualification “for all who believe” would seem redundant or less cohesive. Moreover, Paul frequently uses verbal constructions like **πιστευω εις** (e.g., Gal 2:16, Rom 4:5, 10:4) to unambiguously express faith directed *into* or *in* Christ, making the objective genitive a consistent Pauline theme. The focus remains on God’s righteousness being applied to humanity contingent upon their faith in Christ.

2. Subjective Genitive: “through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ”

This interpretation posits that **Ιησου Χριστου** is the subject or possessor of the faithfulness, meaning Christ’s own fidelity to God’s redemptive plan, culminating in his obedient death and resurrection, is the means of justification. Grammatically, this is a plausible reading of a genitive construction. Rhetorically and theologically, this interpretation emphasizes divine agency and Christ’s active role in salvation. It shifts the focus from human faith to Christ’s obedient faithfulness, which becomes the ultimate ground for God’s righteousness. Proponents often connect this to passages emphasizing Christ’s obedience (e.g., Phil 2:8, Rom 5:19) and argue that it avoids making human faith itself meritorious. The initial query in the b-greek discussion, highlighting the “redundancy” if it refers to *our* faith, implicitly favors this reading by suggesting that Christ’s faithfulness, rather than human faith, is the non-redundant aspect to emphasize.

3. Plenary Genitive / Attributive Genitive of Agency: A Synthetic Understanding

Some scholars propose a more nuanced or synthetic reading, often termed a “plenary genitive” or an “attributive genitive of agency.” This view suggests that the phrase encompasses both aspects: Christ’s faithfulness (subjective) as the foundation and enabler of human faith (objective). In this understanding, Christ’s faithfulness is not merely a model but the very means by which believers are enabled to exercise faith. It could imply “faith that comes from Christ” or “faith characterized by Christ’s faithfulness.” This interpretation seeks to reconcile the strengths of both the subjective and objective readings, acknowledging Christ’s decisive role while still recognizing the necessity of human response. Rhetorically, it portrays salvation as a holistic divine-human interaction initiated by Christ’s fidelity and consummated in human trust.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

While the grammatical possibility of a subjective genitive for πιστεως Ιησου Χριστου is undeniable, the immediate context of Romans 3:22 and Paul’s consistent usage of language related to human belief strongly favor the objective genitive interpretation. The phrase εις παντας τους πιστευοντας, especially in its shorter form supported by critical texts, directly connects God’s righteousness to “all *who believe*”, making it difficult to divorce this “faith” from the act of human belief. However, recognizing Christ’s faithfulness is a crucial theological truth that underpins and enables human faith. Thus, while the primary translation should reflect the objective genitive, a holistic understanding of Paul’s theology suggests that Christ’s faithfulness is the *ground* upon which human faith becomes possible and salvific.

Here are three suggested translations reflecting different nuances:

1. “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” This is the most direct and widely accepted translation, interpreting **πιστεως Ιησου Χριστου** as an objective genitive where Christ is the object of human faith.
2. “the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe.” This translation emphasizes Christ’s obedient fidelity as the means of salvation, viewing **πιστεως Ιησου Χριστου** as a subjective genitive.
3. “the righteousness of God through Christ’s faithfulness, which generates faith in him for all who believe.” This synthetic translation attempts to capture a “plenary” sense, acknowledging Christ’s faithfulness as the foundational and enabling factor for the believer’s faith.